


Old Friend

by RainofAugust



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Legends - All Media Types, Star Wars Legends: The Old Republic (Video Game)
Genre: F/F, Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, Reunion, Women in Love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-20
Updated: 2019-12-20
Packaged: 2021-02-26 22:07:23
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,680
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21866182
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RainofAugust/pseuds/RainofAugust
Summary: After HK-55 is lost at the Battle of Asylum, Lana Beniko misses her droid bodyguard and friend. Her partner, Commander/Sith Warrior Viridana Dragoi, tries to comfort her and find a way to bring HK-55 back.
Relationships: Lana Beniko/Female Sith Warrior
Comments: 4
Kudos: 24





	Old Friend

**Author's Note:**

> This story changes canon slightly so that HK-51 is acquired and HK-55 is rebuilt during the post-KOTET era. Lana's comment that HK-55 didn't want to live forever is paraphrased from game dialogue in chapter 9 of KOTFE. HK-51's "I am fully armed and operational" greeting is quoted from the HK-51 mission. 
> 
> Thanks to everyone who reads, leaves comments and kudos and posts links to my stories!
> 
> If you are reading this work anywhere other than Ao3, please know that I do not consent to having my works reposted or packaged into apps. Please also know that this work is free to read on Ao3 and I do not approve of or consent to having my works posted behind paywalls or subscriptions.

**3632 BBY, Odessen**

They die and she cannot help them. 

They suffer and she has to watch. 

Arcann raises his hands and lightning sears through them both. Viri. HK-55. They fall, and nobody hears Lana scream. 

Lana can sometimes comfort herself by repeating the facts. Cold, hard facts do not lie: Arcann did not use lightning against Viri. Viri survived. But cold, hard facts do not lie: HK-55 was destroyed. 

Still, the nightmare does not leave her. A month after the fall of Asylum, Lana still sees HK’s scorched chassis in her mind’s eye. In the comfort of the bed she shares with Viri - her Viri, who survived and still loves her, she reminds herself - Lana shivers and uses the Force to pull another blanket over herself and her partner. There are always several extras at the foot of the bed; Viri loves being warm. 

“Lana?” Viri’s voice wafts gently through the silence of the room as her arms tighten around Lana’s waist. “Are you all right? I sense…”

Unease. Unrest. Grief. Of course she does; emotions flow like the tide through the bond they share. Lana knows it all too well. 

”Bad dream,” Lana murmurs, snuggling into Viri. Viri curls protectively around her, wrapping arms and legs around every part of Lana they can reach. 

”Do you want to tell me?” 

”No,” Lana shakes her head. “I…it’s one of the usual. Let’s just get back to sleep.”

”I’m here, beloved. It’s safe,” Viri murmurs, pulling Lana even closer and kissing her neck. The embrace, and Viri’s steady breathing, are enough to soothe Lana to sleep. As her eyes close, she links hands with Viri and sighs. Viri did not die. Lana helped her live. They are together. They help each other when sleep does not bring peace, which is most of the time. It is enough. 

**3631 BBY, Odessen**

It’s larger now; it’s more impressive; it’s actually changing things in ways that are making the galaxy take notice. The Alliance has grown from a series of modest tents on a hill in Odessen to a bonafide military base. They have numbers. They have clout, and Zakuul knows it. 

Viri’s wounds from Asylum have healed, and the long, vicious scars from the lightsaber injury that nearly killed her are concealed beneath her armor. She strides through the Alliance base with the confidence of someone who knows how to lead; someone who knows how to command. She is still the Wrath but she is more, and as she sits at the head of the Alliance conference table, all eyes are on her. 

”Our scouts are back from Asylum,” Hylo Visz says, smiling. “Unfortunately, the port is completely abandoned. There are only a few structures left, and none suitable for habitation. Since Zakuul knows where it is, it’s no longer safe. Our scouts did recover numerous caches of weapons that somehow survived the port’s destruction. Lightsaber components. Armor. Droid pieces. Scrap metal that we can repurpose. Speeder parts. Anything that was left that looked salvageable or important, we tried to bring back.” 

It had been Hylo’s idea to survey the ruins of the shadow port; to see what remained after the Eternal Empire’s near-complete annihilation. Viri had been opposed to it at first; had not wanted to disturb old ghosts, as she called them. Her pragmatism had won out, and the Alliance had sent a scouting team. 

”Good,” Viri says. “Obviously, I want it all scrutinized before we use any of it. Scanned for biotoxins, surveillance, Force curses, all of it. We don’t know if Zakuul left those things deliberately.” 

”That’s really not Arcann’s style,” Koth interjects. “When he has used something up, he leaves it. I doubt he’d go to that effort. I understand the need for caution, though.” 

”And Viri, we did find…that thing…you asked us to look out for,” Hylo says. “It’s in Oggurobb’s lab.” 

”Thank you,” Viri says, smiling slightly. 

”We also brought back some of these,” Hylo says, unwrapping a small package and unrolling several tattered banners from Asylum across the table. “They obviously aren’t intrinsically valuable, but…” 

”…but sometimes sentiment carries its own value,” Viri murmurs, staring sadly at the gold fabric. “Good call.” 

”We could restore them, or…” 

”Or leave them as they are,” Viri says. “Asylum is gone. We need to remember it. Remember everyone lost there.” 

”I agree,” Lana says. Her mind begins to wander as she stares at the banners. How many hours had she spent wandering Asylum’s alleys and cantinas, searching for any sign of Viri? HK-55 had always said…Lana shakes her head. No. Not the time to remember him. 

At the end of the meeting, Lana stops her as she heads toward Oggurobb’s lab. 

”Are you going to tell me what this ‘thing’ is?” Lana asks, tilting her head. They do not have secrets. Secrets are only safe between them. 

”I asked Hylo to look for HK-55,” Viri says softly, lapsing into Sith. “Whatever was left of him.” 

”Why?” 

”Oggurobb’s a genius. Maybe there’s a way to repair and reactivate him.” 

Lana sighs. “Viri, he…always said he didn’t want to live forever. His personality matrix wasn’t even copied. As much as I miss him, I don’t know.” 

”I understand,” Viri says gently. “Nobody’s saying he will live forever. We’re in a war. But maybe he’d like a few more seasons, at least? He was loyal to you. He’d probably want to stick around to look after you, wouldn’t he?” 

Hope sparks through the bond. 

“True,” Lana says slowly. “It is worth considering it, from that angle. Let me see him.” 

”Do you want to do this alone, or…” 

”Stay with me?” 

”Of course,” Viri says, following her to the lab. Oggurobb is already waiting for them, his attention fixed on the work table before him. 

”Commander! Lana! How wonderful to see you!” 

”Doctor,” Lana says, smiling. “I understand you found HK-55?” 

”I did,” Oggurobb says. “And I have been working hard since they brought him into my lab earlier today. Unfortunately…” 

”What?” Viri says suspiciously. 

”I am not finding a way to repair him. Czerka’s HK lines are notoriously complex. If I had another HK to work from, I could replicate the parts, but…” 

”But you can’t bring him back,” Lana says flatly. 

”Not yet, Commander,” Oggurobb says hastily. “But science evolves every day. I have some contacts at Czerka. I will ask them if they have any resources they can put at my disposal. Don’t give up, and I will not. Just have patience. It may not be tomorrow. Or next month. Eventually we will figure it out.”

”Thank you for trying,” Lana says listelessly. “Can…can I see him?” 

”Of course,” Oggurobb says, pulling back the sheet covering his worktable. Both Lana and Viri wince at the sight of HK-55’s scarred, scorched chassis. 

”He doesn’t look pleasant right now, but have faith,” Oggurobb says.

”I’ll do my best to remember that,” Lana says softly. “If you don’t mind, I have other things to do.” 

”Of course.” 

Lana walks from the lab as quickly as her legs can carry her; Viri hurries behind, concerned. 

”I’m sorry, beloved. I wouldn’t have asked Hylo to bring him back if I thought…” 

Lana turns to face her. “Love, I know you meant well. I’d rather have HK here than in the ruins of Asylum.” 

”Maybe Oggurobb’s right, and he will eventually be repairable.” 

”Right,” Lana says, her voice completely devoid of hope. The topic of HK-55 is not broached again, and Oggurobb instinctively knows to keep the chassis out of Lana’s line of vision from then on. 

**3630 BBY, Odessen**

Alliance Commander, Galactic Peacekeeper. Empress. Lana glances over at her wife. Viri lounges indolently in one of the conference room chairs, her long legs stretched out in front of her, as she answers the holo. 

”What’s this about, Acina?” Viri asks. Viri is holo-conferencing with the head of the Sith Empire, completely nonchalant. 

”Commander, we have a conundrum.”

 _As usual,_ Viri thinks, and Lana catches her eye and smiles. 

”What might that be, Empress?”

”One of our ships - the _Fatality_ \- was shot down above Belsavis many years ago. It was well before my time on the Dark Council, so my knowledge on the specifics is incomplete. I’m just aware of its location, and that its cargo hold contained arms. Up until now the Republic has ignored it, but with the Dread Masters gone, the prisoners cleared from that sector, the war with Zakuul over and the illusion of peace at hand, Sith Intelligence believes they are planning to survey it.” 

”And?” 

”Commander, the _Fatality_ was carrying weapons to the Sith Empire. I doubt they are in one piece after being frozen on the surface of Belsavis for so long, and they may well be obsolete by now, but I don’t want the Republic to find them. Even though the information on the manifests and logs will be decades out of date, I’d like to keep those away from the Republic too.” 

”And you cannot send an expedition yourself because…? “ 

”It’s on the far side of Belsavis. Getting there would require warring with the Republic, and we are still rebuilding from the Eternal Fleet’s attack. Quite simply, I don’t have the manpower or the tools at the moment. The Eternal Commander, on the other hand, has leave to go wherever she will with the Eternal Fleet. If you surveyed the ship, I doubt the Republic would lift a finger to stop you.” 

”Points taken, Acina. And if we do this, what of the cargo?”

”My chief concern is keeping it from the Republic. Keep the weapons. Share them with us. Blow it all up. I would rather see them all destroyed than in Republic hands.”

Viri nods. “Send the information to my team.” 

_Do you think this is wise?_ Lana asks. 

Viri shrugs. _If it really is just an abandoned ship, what could be so dangerous?_

Lana smiles and nods to the Gravestone, just outside the conference room’s windows. 

_Fair enough,_ Viri laughs. _Still. Let’s have a look._

**3630 BBY, Belsavis**

Belsavis has always been a place of contrast. Lush fields of flora and fauna are superimposed on snowy cliffs and vicious bubbling lava pits. The planet still bears the heavy touch of the Rakatans, and the Alliance’s mobile bases on Belsavis are established inside disused Rakatan prison cells and temples. As Acina anticipated, the Republic does no more than raise a slight verbal protest when they land. 

The _Fatality_ is located in Section X, a sector of the planet that was once home to some of the Rakata’s super weapons. Viri knows those well; it had been to her, as the Empire’s Wrath, to destroy them. As Viri alights from the Alliance shuttle and exhales in the bitterly cold air, she shudders. 

_Everything all right?_ Lana is at her side, as usual. 

”The last time I was here it was overrun with possessed soldiers and prisoners,” Viri says, her voice cutting through the silence. “Now, there’s nothing. The cells her are empty, and the possessed are dead. It’s a ghost town. I feel that. Even the Rakata…gone.” 

”I feel it too,” Lana admits, steeling herself as Viri’s Team Aurek sets out for the _Fatality._ They keep their weapons drawn but it’s an unnecessary caution; as Viri has said, the sector has been completely abandoned. Even Belsavis’s natural wildlife appears to be avoiding the area. 

”I don’t like this,” Vette, a member of Team Aurek, whispers. “It’s…dead. All of it.” 

”The good news is that we should be able to get in and out without a struggle,” Viri says, consulting the map. 

And they do. The _Fatality_ rises up from the landscape like a giant tomb; its rusting hulk towering over the snowy field in which it crashed. The ship is in pieces, and Viri and Team Aurek step gingerly over dislodged engine components as they approach the _Fatality’s_ docking bay. Several grenades are all that is needed to create an entrance, and the team walks warily into the vessel, weapons still at the ready. 

The air is cold and stale, and Viri and her team automatically reach for their respirators. In the dim glow of their flashlights they cast spidery shadows on the wall. They are not alone: the dead crew members and officers are still there, frozen in time, sprawled on the decks. Viri scans and tags each as she steps over them. 

“We have corpses here. Many. Extract them from the ship,” Viri says quietly into her comlink, summoning the Alliance’s support team. “I’m sure there are body bags somewhere, or you can improvise.” 

”Commander, they’ve been dead for so long…” Major Pierce tries. 

”So? They can still be returned to the Empire. To their families. It’s closure. It feels right. I don’t think they’d want this to be their final resting place. And we’re going to blow up the ship after we excavate, so…” 

”True,” Pierce says quietly, following the rest of Viri’s team through the ship. 

”We should be hitting the cargo hold soon,” Viri says. Sure enough, her flashlight crosses two sealed doors rising up out of the gloom. She uses her lightsaber to slice through the doors and kicks them down. When her light illuminates the vast space of the cargo hold, she gasps. Metallic faces line the room, staring impassively down at them. 

“Stars,” Viri whispers, turning in a circle to take in the view. “It’s a shipment of HK droids There must be fifty of them here.” 

”Those don’t look like 55,” Lana muses, studying the one closest to her. “Maybe an earlier model? The Empire had a handful of 55s, but those are the only ones I remember seeing.” 

”Same,” Viri agrees. “The only HK I remember seeing up close before I met 55 belonged to Revan. HK-47. Even when we took over Czerka, I didn’t find them. They were not being manufactured anymore.”

“Do you think they’ll even work?” Vette asks, tentatively touching one of the droids. Its arm immediately falls to the ground, frozen solid. 

”They don’t appear to be in good shape, no,” Viri agrees. “When did Acina tell us this ship was lost? Decades ago? If they’ve been freezing out here for that long, they’re probably barely operational. If we’re lucky.” 

“Damn it,” Lana hisses, her hands on her hips. “All that work for nothing.” 

”It’s a preliminary analysis,” Talos pipes up. “And we’re out in the field, not in the lab with all of our tools at our disposal. We could salvage some of the droids, bring them back to Odessen and see if they could be repaired.” 

Viri pulls out her holo and contacts Acina. “Acina? We found the ship. We’ve collected as many of the crew members’ bodies as we could to repatriate them. The cargo of weapons was a cache of Hunter-Killer battle droids. Model unknown, they’re too frozen to even attempt to activate, but they aren’t 47s or 55s.” 

”Of all the weapons, I wasn’t expecting droids,” Acina muses. “I suppose this was one of the deals with Czerka that the Republic was angry about. I understand you cannot activate them, but do you think they are at all operational?” 

”They do not appear to be. I’m planning on taking them back to Odessen to study, since we’re making a snap judgment here, but they’re literally falling apart. All the same, do you want any? I’m sure the Reclamation Service or the Science Service might want to study them.” 

Acina exhales. “No. I knew there was only a slim chance you’d find usable weapons before you embarked. As fascinating as the HKs might be, I don’t have the personnel to devote to them. If you could still destroy the ship, I’d appreciate it..” 

”We should take Acina up on that offer,” Lana says. “One never knows.” 

Viri nods. “Thank you, Acina. At the least, we won’t have an Imperial ship left unattended on Belsavis anymore.” 

”There is indeed that,” Acina says. “We’ll be getting this tech away from the Republic. Good luck, Commander. I hope there’s something worth your time. And…thank you for collecting our fallen. I’d rather have them back on Imperial soil, instead of lying there in the snow.” 

“Of course,” Viri says, deactivating her holo. Her attention turns to logistics, to directing the Alliance staff to carefully remove the crew members, pack up the HK droids, and set enough charges around the ship to turn the _Fatality_ to little more than dust.

**3630 BBY, Odessen**

The Eternal Alliance does not run itself, there’s always way too much to do, and as the week rolls on, the mission to Belsavis - and the HK droids - fades from Viri’s attention. Doctor Oggurobb, however, does not forget. He immediately dedicates half of his research team to reviving the HKs, and by the end of the week, he has reaped the rewards of the work. 

When Viri and Lana are summoned to Oggurobb’s lab to view the progress, they are surprised to see one of the salvaged HK droids propped up on a table, unfrozen and polished to a fine silver sheen. 

“One of the droids could be repaired.” Oggurobb all but beams with pride. “It took effort and ingenuity, but we’ve rebuilt this one.” 

“Just one?” Viri says suspiciously. “Is there any chance this was planted by the Empire or Republic as a spy? We take in the droid, and…” 

”I already anticipated that possibility,” Oggurobb says. “I have disassembled and studied this unit extensively. I’ve scoured every nook of its personality matrix and rooted out every subroutine. It seems that it is exactly what it appears to be: an HK-51 droid that has never been activated. The droid has a loyalty subroutine. It can be loyal to only one master, and whomever that master designates. It can never be reprogrammed to attack that master or their allies. That lock has never been used on this unit. When I activated him briefly, he asked if I was going to be his master.” 

“So it truly is a new droid,” Viri muses. 

”Indeed it is,” Oggurobb says. “I would suggest that you activate his loyalty programming immediately, adding Lana, Team Aurek and Team Besh as allies.” 

”Wait a minute, Doctor,” Viri turns to Lana and lapses into Sith. “Lana…it was my fault you lost HK-55. Would you like this 51 model?” 

”What are you talking about?” Lana says sharply. “Arcann atomized HK-55. Not you. He was programmed to protect you. He did. Until the end.” 

”If you say so,” Viri says, looking away. “I still wouldn’t want to take this HK as my own when yours is gone.” 

“HK-55 was mine,” Lana murmurs. “I…don’t want another.” 

”Are you sure?” Viri asks, raising an eyebrow. “We could…” 

”I can’t replace HK-55 with some other droid,” Lana says shortly. “You, on the other hand, need as many bodyguards as we can find for you.” 

“Lana…” 

_Please stop asking me, Viri,_ Lana says, locking eyes with her. _You wouldn’t ask me to replace a human friend, would you? It’s not 55. Please forget it._

Viri nods. _I understand. I didn’t mean to push you._

_I know you meant well,_ Lana says, kissing her forehead. _I appreciate that._

 _It won’t upset you to have another HK around, if he’s mine?_ Viri asks, searching her face. 

_No,_ Lana reassures her.

Viri nods and takes a deep breath. “I’m ready, Oggurobb.” 

Oggurobb nods and presses a series of buttons, activating the droid. HK-51’s eyes flicker as he wakes. 

”Greetings and salutations. I am HK-51, fully armed, operational and at your command. Are you my master?” 

”Yes,” Viri says. “Viridana Revarre Dragoi.” 

_He sounds just like 55, doesn’t he?_ Lana says, sadness washing across the bond. 

_Lana, I’ll stop…_

_Take. The. Droid. We need him. Just let me grieve, love._ Lana frowns.

Reassurance and love course through the bond, and Viri holds Lana’s eyes. _I love you, Lana. I’m here._

_I know you are,_ Lana says, smiling. 

Doctor Oggurobb clears his throat. “Commander? Lana? We should not leave an HK droid half-programmed.” 

”True,” Viri says, turning her attention back to the droid. “HK-51, this is my wife, Lana Beniko. Protect her as you would protect me.” 

”Understood, Master Viri,” HK-51 says. “Query, Lana Beniko: How shall I address you?” 

”Call me Lana.” 

”Excellent, Lana. I am pleased to make your acquaintance!” 

As Lana nods, she scrutinizes the droid. He is silver, not gold. He’s not carrying the same sort of blaster as HK-55. Overall, she decides, there are enough differences between the models that she can’t confuse the two droids. _At least he’s not exactly the same._

_That’s good,_ Viri says, and sends more love and comfort through the bond as they continue to program their new bodyguard. 

* 

By the evening, HK-51 is on patrol outside Viri’s suite. He nods to Viri and Lana as they enter the suite, his huge Czerka blaster drawn and prepared to defend them. Viri cannot help but notice that Lana looks away as they unlock the door. 

”You’re still upset,” Viri says, squeezing her hand as they lock the door behind them and enter their living room. 

”I’m mourning a friend. Grief isn’t linear. You know that. I’ll get over it,” Lana says bitterly. 

”We should not have done this,” Viri says, shaking her head. “It’s upsetting you too much.” 

”I…no. We need him. I’ll be fine, lover. It’s just…” 

”Tell me about HK-55,” Viri says, taking her hand again. 

”What’s to tell?” 

”I don’t think you ever really mourned him. There was too much going on. Maybe now there’s time.” 

”He was the only friend I had. The only one I could trust,” Lana says, nestling into Viri’s embrace. “In the days after you and Marr vanished, he was the one who had my back. When I joined Koth’s crew, he looked out for me. He was always there. Always vigilant. Always patient. He had a sense of humor, did you know?” 

”Tell me more,” Viri says gently, and holds Lana close as she spins tale after tale of HK-55. When Lana is finally finished, her eyes are red and she is crying softly.

”I’m sorry, Lana,” Viri finally says. “I hope you know that if there had been anything I could have done to save him, I would have.” 

”Thank you, love,” Lana says. “I do know. It all happened so fast, and you weren’t at full strength.” 

”Did you ever do a Qoorit for HK-55?” Viri asks. 

”No,” Lana says. “Maybe that would help. Will you recite with me?” 

Viri nods and joins Lana at her personal altar, channeling comfort through the bond as they light the Sith braziers and recite the ancient Sith blessing for the dead. 

* 

**A Week Later, Odessen**

HK-51 quickly blends into the fabric of the base, and Lana does her best to accept him. It isn’t his fault that he isn’t HK-55, she tells herself. She smiles and greets him in the morning, and after a few days, it becomes easier. Her grief for HK-55 is still raw in her mind, but she has accepted that it will always be with her, like a scar. When Viri brings up her droid again, out of the blue, the scar bleeds, but Lana takes a deep breath again and listens. 

”There was one thing I wanted to ask you about HK-55,” Viri starts, speaking the words in Sith. 

Lana sighs. “Keep it to one question, Viri. I don’t want to continue to discuss this.” 

“If we could repair _your_ HK-55, would you want him back?” Viri asks gently. “Not a copy. If there were any way Oggurobb could repair his chassis and reactivate the same HK-55 that was lost on Asylum, what would you say?” 

”I’d love that,” Lana says. “I’d love to have him here again.” 

“I’m really glad to hear you say that. Oggurobb has been studying him. Even though the other HK-51 droids on that transport were beyond repair, our team was able to salvage some individual usable parts. Oggurobb told me that he could use the pieces as templates to manufacture replacement components for HK-55.” 

Lana’s eyes light up. “Really?” 

“He warned me that he couldn’t promise anything. We both saw how severe the damage was. He said that it looked promising, though, and he wanted me to ask you how you felt about it. Nobody wants to bring him back if it will cause you pain.”

”Why would it?”

”We don’t know how his memory core held up,” Viri says gently. “Even though Oggurobb might be able to repair him…there’s no guarantee his memory is intact. How would you feel if he were activated and didn’t know you?”

”If a friend of mine had amnesia, I’d help them,” Lana says resolutely. “As long as it’s my HK, I can handle it if he doesn’t remember anything.” 

_Are you sure?_

_Yes!_ Anguish and hope sparkle in Lana’s eyes. _The idea of bringing him back…oh, Viri, if they could…_

”I’ll send a message to Oggurobb,” Viri says. “He’ll be overjoyed.” 

* 

As it turns out, a message is not required, and Lana and Viri are summoned to the lab sooner than they anticipate. 

”That HK, it’s -- it’s attacking everything!” Oggurobb is normally calm under pressure, but he’s screaming into his comlink. “Commander, help!” 

”We’re on our way,” Viri says. “Lana, there’s a problem in the lab. Come on.” 

Oggurobb’s lab Is in chaos, and a succession of loud booms and blasts are echoing up the elevator shaft. Viri draws her lightsaber and punches the lift button, Lana on her heels. When the door opens on the lower level, what they see makes them both gasp. 

HK-55, his gold chassis polished and glinting in the light. HK-55 with a Czerka rilfe - not like his original, but still formidable - blasting away at munitions crates and lab equipment. HK-55 laughing as he shoots again and again. 

_Dear Force, it’s good to see him,_ Lana thinks, smiling even as she dodges an errant blaster bolt. 

“Stop it!” Lana shouts, dodging, more blaster fire. “HK, stop!” 

HK puts down his blaster and stares at the horrified Sith before him. 

”Query: who are you?” 

Lana goes pale. “You…you don’t know me?” 

”Lament: I do not. You do resemble an individual in the data file Oggurobb placed in my memory bank. The one designated as my master. Are you my master?” 

Pain lances through the bond as Lana bows her head. “Yes. I am. I was. My name is Lana Beniko.” 

”Query: Was?” 

”This is not your first activation. You were my droid for many years. You…” Lana stops herself before she says it: _You were my friend._

”Observation: I surmise that you may have been fond of me.” 

”I was.” Lana looks away. “You saved my life more than once.” 

”Do you remember _anything_?” Viri asks. 

”Regret: I’m afraid not.” 

Lana takes a shaky breath. “All the same…it’s so good to hear you again.” 

”Query: How was I deactivated?”

”You sacrificed yourself to save my wife.” Lana turns to Viri and takes her hand. “Viridana Revarre Dragoi. Viri. Please protect her as you would protect me.” 

”Affirmation: it will be done.” 

”Lana, since HK’s memory core was destroyed, so were his targeting parameters. Would you work on those with him?” Viri asks. 

”Of course.” 

”Good. I’m going to leave you to get reacquainted with your old friend,” Viri says, kissing her gently. “Have fun.” 

”Thank you,” Lana says softly, sending love through the bond as Viri waves and summons the elevator. 

”Statement: Your wife appears to love you.” 

”She does,” Lana says. “And I love her. Come, HK, let’s get your combat parameters set up. The shooting range is over here.” 

”Query: Will you be designating meatbags for me to kill? Excellent.” 

_Meatbags,_ Lana thinks. _It’s been a long time since I’ve heard that. Too long._ She smiles as she sets the first combat simulation scenario, directing her old friend.


End file.
